The Dark Objects
by KittyPretty206
Summary: Magnus Bane is finding things: dark, demonic objects wherever he goes. Hoping to forget them, he uses them to help others, from Tessa Gray to Jocelyn Fairchild. But his past is catching up to him. A sinister force looms, something no one has seen. And the dark objects are everywhere... This is my first fanfiction, please review
1. The Locket

_**Prologue:**_

 _ **The Locket**_

Tessa glanced at herself in the mirror as Sophie fussed about with her hair. Her hand was beginning to heal, though the tell-tale scars were painted across it. Still, she was glad when Sophie fitted kid gloves onto her, concealing it. She didn't want the marks of her anguish for the world to see, especially not Jem. Or Will.

'We're due for training today, Miss Tessa,' Sophie said cheerily, and Tessa could tell she was giddy to see Gideon.

'Cecily will be joining us for her first lesson today. I wonder how she will do,' Tessa said thoughtfully, thinking about Will's shocked expression two nights ago when Cecily strode in, disrupting their celebratory dinner. 'I imagine she will take to her studies quite fiercely.'

Cecily was a subject that seemed to be looming over everyone, especially Will. She had come in, demanding she be trained, and immediately Will had rushed her to sit down at the table in Jessamine's place to explain exactly what she was doing there and why now.

Will and Cecily then became involved in a lengthy discussion, which quickly escalated into a full-blown argument. After encountering the warlock Ragnor Fell, Cecily had been drawn to come to the Institute to see Will, and to receive an explanation about why he abandoned them, all those years ago.

At that moment, Tessa had been extremely anxious, looking at Will, thinking of the painful conversation they'd had when Will explained his curse. Then Will, amid a world of internal pain and suffering, eventually broke, and told everyone the truth. Why he had been so cold to them the past five years, everything.

Even so, Cecily decided to stay. She still insisted she wanted to be trained as a Shadowhunter, if not to get closer to Will. Tessa found this strange, and Cecily's real motives were still clouded.

Once she was changed, she headed down to breakfast. For some reason, nobody was there. Cyril came in, informing her Charlotte was ill due to her pregnancy, and a cold seemed to be running through the Institute, infecting everyone. Tessa could not hide the frustration in her steps as she swept into the drawing room, where a plate of sandwiches was lying on a silver platter. She sat herself down on one of the chairs.

'Tessa, my darling.'

It was Jem, admiration in his voice as he came to sit next to her. Tessa couldn't help smiling at him. His hair looked especially silver in the morning light, and his tenderness made her heart happy.

Yesterday, they had spent the day out in London, wanting to get away from the general mood of the Institute; even though wonderful things had been announced, they could sense the tension. It had been good for Tessa to do this; she could almost forget about Will if she got lost in Jem.

Cyril came into the room, and Tessa perked up, hoping he had come bearing news of either Cecily or Mortmain. Instead:

'Miss Gray, there is someone at the door who wishes to see you,' he informed them.

Tessa furrowed her eyebrows. 'Dear God. I hope one of my relatives hasn't come here wishing to be trained!' she exclaimed, but there was careful curiosity in her voice. 'May my fiancée come with me?' she asked, with a smile in Jem's direction.

Cyril shook his head politely. 'The person wishes for it to only be you, and to remain unnamed from the company of Shadowhunters here. My apologies, Master Jem.'

Tessa, with a puzzled glance at Jem, stood up and followed Cyril out of the room, towards the front door of the institute. To her surprise, standing there was Magnus, looking quite tired and frazzled. He seemed out of breath.

'Tessa. I have something for you. May I come in?' he panted, directing this towards Cyril, who nodded. He ran into the Institute, and beckoned for Tessa to follow him inside the first empty room he saw, which happened to be the strategy room, a large room with a few tables scattered around it, scrolls aligning the walls. Magnus slammed the door shut, and rushed to the table.

'I have been looking around for you, Tessa Gray, as your predicament interested me and I was drawn to know more. I'm immortal, and without Camille's restraints, I am free to prance around like a wild pony, absorbing as much information as possible. I talked to a few friends; Ragnor Fell, Malcom Fade, and Catarina Loss, and came across some interesting things. Though I haven't garnered any possible information yet, I have something to give to you,' Magnus told Tessa.

Tessa's chest tightened at the thought of knowing more about her origins. She yearned to reach out into Magnus's pocket, and to take the object for herself. But she knew, of course, this was not proper, so she instead spoke very politely.

'Well, Master Bane, I cannot thank you enough. You needn't have gone to all the trouble just for me. I can pay you, if you like,' Tessa said compassionately, though Magnus shook his head slowly as he fumbled in his pocket for something. When he finally found it, his cat eyes fell back into their usual, amused expression.

'No, no, I am quite grateful for this little affair. I have found out a few valuable pieces of information about myself too,' he said, with a dark satisfaction behind his eyes. Tessa looked at him incredulously, and then turned to the object he'd drawn from his pocket.

'It was found in Mortmain's family manor by someone who was part of the raid, I won't say who, and had earnt this as one of the spoils. Apparently, it hadn't been properly examined by the Clave, because it has demonic properties. It had the name Elizabeth Gray on it,' Magnus explained, both looking at it. It was a simple locket, with a rune engraved on the front she did not recognise, mixed in with a beautiful twisting pattern, as most Shadowhunter designs did.

'It's a dark object. The rune on the front is a demonic rune. I thought you would want it, knowing it was something of your mother's.'

Tessa stared up at him, anxious. 'But...what does it do? Who found it?'

Magnus sighed, still looking at it. It was hard to tear your eyes away, Tessa admitted. A dark power seemed to emit from it. 'As I said, I won't say who found it, but what all does it matter? They have kept it all these years, not knowing what it was, until I eventually saw the name, emblazoned in their spoils cabinets. It enhances your warlock abilities; I find myself quite jealous giving it to you, but I'm afraid it's yours. When wearing this, you will not fall out of your Change unless you will yourself to, if indeed it does work.'

Tessa took it, and fastened it around her neck. She now had three necklaces weighing her down: Jem's jade pendant, the clockwork angel, and this dark object. She immediately felt a dark power surge through her. She gasped, taken aback by the feeling. 'I-I feel different,' she said.

'Try and Change,' Magnus said.

Tessa didn't want to Change. The dress she was wearing right now would no doubt fall unflatteringly on anyone else, and Tessa didn't want to be humiliated this early in the morning in front of Magnus Bane. But she did it. For some reason, the first face she saw when she closed her eyes was Jessamine, eyes huge and scared in the Silent Brother's chamber. She reached out for her, but found she grasped her almost instantly, and she was thrown into the darkness that ensued when she was Changing. But this was only for a few moments, before the Change washed over, quickly and painlessly. She opened her eyes, and looked down at Jessamine's small body. She gaped at Magnus. 'It…it worked!'

She Changed back into herself, finding this was just as easy as going into it. The Change had felt different this time. Before, it was like she was holding onto something, grasping on to an edge that she could slip off. But now, it felt like she was sitting on the ledge comfortably, and to get back she just had to dangle her feet off and jump down.

Magnus was staring at her in amazement, before his face lit up with confusion. She suddenly felt a scratching at her chest, and she looked down. She saw, to her amazement, the clockwork angel at her chest fluttering up and down, trying to flit up from the locket hanging just below it. She opened her mouth, gasping.

'What's happening?' she asked frantically, as she clasped her hands over the device, to try and stop its urgent wings, persistently trying to get away from the locket, looming below it, a dark weight on her chest. She breathed heavily.

'Take it off,' Magnus said, his yellow eyes gleaming, and Tessa obliged gladly. When she lifted the locket from her shoulders, she felt as if a strong hold was being released from her, and she took a hand up to massage her chest, where it had been before. She had to admit she had been taken over by a dark satisfaction when it had adorned her, and felt a bit deprived without it on.

'That object, it has strong demonic power. Strange…because, if your necklace is repulsed away by it, then it must be manifested with some sort of angelic power,' Magnus said with his eyebrows furrowed, staring at Tessa's clockwork angel.

Tessa suddenly realized the clockwork angel she had always owned was a mystery she hadn't given much thought of yet. It had whirred to life more than once to save her life in times of dire need, when the threat of the automatons was fatal. It seemed like a guardian to her, always there. Magnus narrowed his eyes.

'I…please, take back the locket. I can't have it, if it means the clockwork angel will always be disturbed. Please, use it to find out more about my mother. I will consider the history of the clockwork angel with Henry, but these dark objects…I cannot associate myself with such things.'

Magnus looked at her, sighed, and then took back the locket. '

'But it worked, Tessa,' Magnus said with a dark glint in his eyes, and Tessa nodded, not sure what he was trying to say. 'You know what this means, right?'

Tessa shrugged her shoulders, a suspicion creeping up her spine. If it only worked for warlocks…

'Tessa, your father is a demon.'


	2. Lost Memories

_**Lost Memories**_

'Where are you going?' asked Alec.

Magnus, who'd been hoping to get away unnoticed, turned around slowly. 'Somewhere.'

Alec raised an eyebrow, and leaned against the door frame he had just appeared from, looking at Magnus. They had been staying in Idris for over a week now after Valentine had been defeated, and the Penhallow's residence was very grand. At first, they had been a little hesitant to let Magnus come and live with them (a warlock who had gotten himself involved with messy business in the past), but eventually they'd let him stay, due to Alec's pleading.

'I suppose, then, I won't be getting an explanation from you?'

Magnus sighed, and ran a hand through his glittering hair. 'The warlock, Ragnor Fell. I'm visiting his residence, to clear a few things up.'

Alec furrowed his eyebrows. 'Are you…never mind, I best not get involved in your private business.'

There was a look of hurt in his face as he turned back into the room he'd come from. Magnus strode forward and caught him, turning him back. 'Hey, I love you Alec. Just so you're assured, Ragnor Fell is dead.'

At that Alec burst out laughing. Magnus kissed him goodbye, then strode out the door.

The streets of Alicante were abuzz, Shadowhunters and Downworlders all flocking about and talking to each other. Magnus admitted to himself, even through his layers of not-bothered chill, it made his heart happy to see them, those who had been the superior race for years mixed in with the 'tainted'.

'Magnus.' A familiar voice, clear and urgent, came from behind him.

'Clarissa, what a pleasure,' he said, turning around. The red-headed girl was dressed in her usual attire, a t-shirt and jeans, with the artsy, I-don't-care-what-I-look-like look she always had. With her tossed back hair and her stubborn expression, Magnus sometimes couldn't fathom how small she was, how everyone seemed to tower over her but she still kept her ground.

'There is a disaster happening in the Clave chambers. An argument has broke out throughout the faerie court about who will take the seat in the Council. Jace is off on a raid of a demon nest, and I could do with some help. This new Clave isn't going to run itself!' Clary complained, shuffling her feet around as many Shadowhunters passed her by, most looking at her with odd looks.

'And what about the Seelie Queen? Surely she would just snap her fingers and everyone would go quiet?" Magnus exclaimed, scoffing.

'The Seelie Queen is nowhere to be found, and that's why the Seelie Court is in so much distress! Many think Meliorn should be elected, others say to wait until she reappears, while some are nominating themselves, taking the opportunity now that their leader has gone!'

Magnus contemplated what to say for a second. The fact that the Seelie Queen was gone in a time like this was something that took him by surprise, though he didn't show it on his face. He opened and closed his mouth, and finally turned away from Clary, examining his fingernails.

'Sorry, I'm busy.'

A loud cry of frustration came from Clary, and even as he started to walk away, she looped back around to face him. 'And what do you have on your schedule that could be _so_ much more important?'

'I don't see why it's any of your business, but I'm investigating the warlock Ragnor Fell's house again, to follow up on an inkling I'd had the last time I visited, but there was just the minor problem that Valentine and his army of demons were still at large and the whole shadow world was at risk!' Magnus stamped his feet on the ground, a bit of a Clary-like thing to do, and then turned away again.

'Magnus! We need you! As much as I hate to say, you're the best warlock I know, and when we've counted on you in the past to step up, you've done it! If not for me, do it for Alec!' Clary exclaimed.

Magnus, annoyed Clary was trying to guilt him, made quite a severe response. 'If the Clave falls into distress, it's not my place to come and save them! Get, I don't know, Catarina or someone to go and fetch the Seelie Queen! Why do you _always_ have to count on me to solve the mess you've got into?'

'THAT'S THE POINT OF THE NEW CLAVE!' Clary yelled, and people stopped and stared. She sighed, embarrassed. 'Magnus, please…?' She gave up, her voice faltering, the flare gone from it.

Magnus, despite himself, felt a pity for the poor girl at that moment, realizing how much she had on her shoulders, and sighed, turning back to face Clary.

'I will be an hour at Ragnor's, and then I will come to sort the Clave out.'

Clary jumped in jubilance, a smile lighting up her features. Magnus smiled back, then turned away hastily and strode into the crowd, wanting to get away before she could drag him back yet again.

Ragnor Fell's cottage was the way Magnus had left it: an utter mess, furniture and items everywhere. He cursed to himself as he struggled to remember where the item he had come here for was. When he'd seen the locket, a flicker of memory had come up, for a brief moment, as the name Elizabeth Gray, an unmarked Shadowhunter had appeared, emblazoned on it. He had given this to Tessa Gray at one point, he was sure of that. But…what had happened of it? Tessa was in Alicante at the moment, though…perhaps he would go visit her in hopes of getting his memory back.

This was strange; blocks in minds were something that came up a lot in the shadow world, Jessamine, Clary…but he had never felt one himself. It was as if his lost memories were a dream that he'd had, and in the waking moments it had slipped away from him. He supposed the craziness that followed taking the locket back from Tessa had been enough to distract him from the object he'd found, but still, he _never_ forgot anything as major as this, a dark object.

That's what it was, he realized. A dark object. Inklings of his meeting with Tessa two days after Cecily Lightwood, well he supposed back then Cecily Herondale, had arrived at the Institute. It had been powerful, too. The dark objects…they were strange things, something of rarity in the warlock society. They were all believed to have disappeared, so it must have been a shock when Magnus had found it, back in the nineteenth century. They enhanced your powers, the demonic properties in them bringing out that side of heritage, for Magnus his demon father. But why hadn't he kept it?

 _Aha…_ he found it, hidden within a drawer, the name Elizabeth Gray looming on the back of it. _Wow…so this is a dark object,_ he thought. It was so odd how he couldn't remember anything about the first time he'd found it. Magnus turned it over in his hands. He inserted his long fingernails into the clasp, fiddling to try and open it. He was failing; it wouldn't unclasp, a force seemed to have stuck it together. Did he try to open it, to see what was inside last time? It was so frustrating how many questions he had, but he knew he would have to wait for them to be answered.

Magnus fastened the locket around his neck, and felt a surge of power come about him instantly. He sighed out, magic dancing from his fingertips unconsciously. It felt good, he had to admit. He had been feeling a little drained lately, not been doing his best magic since the battle with Valentine's army. After the battle and the party, everyone had just wanted to flop around on the couch at home, not doing anything. But like Clary had said, they had a new Clave to build, and a world to recover after all the horrors it had endured.

He closed his eyes. For a moment, he tried to reach out with his enhanced magic; maybe he could find out the secrets of this metal object, maybe he could find out what had happened all those years ago when he had found it, where he had found it, what he had done with it. He felt the memories, tickling the edge of his grasp, and struggled, pushed so far until he was out of breath, standing there in the cottage, having a mental battle with the locket.

Alas, it didn't succeed. He opened his eyes, and found nothing was out of place, unordinary. He sighed, and left the cottage. Today hadn't gone as he'd planned. He had expected to retrieve the locket, but had thought when he had, he would have remembered, remembered what on earth had happened in those two months between the announcement of Tessa and Jem's engagement and the attack on the Institute, when Tessa had been taken by Mortmain, and Jem was dying, and everything had gone to madness. He realized now that he didn't remember what had happened in those two months at all! He had been living with Woolsey Scott, the then head of one of London's biggest werewolf clans. But what had he done?

As he breathed in the fresh air of Idris, saddling onto the horse he'd 'borrowed' from a random stable in Idris, he thought about what he had to do now. To go to the Council halls, and sort out the mess there. He looked up at the sky, and knew that right now, he wouldn't have time to follow up on the idea of this locket with his warlock friends for at least a while. At least he had Alec, and Jace, and even Clary. Times in his long life where he'd had a group of friends had been the best.

He kicked the horse's sides and rode off into the countryside.


End file.
